Container comprising a box, a drawer and a flap hinged to the box

ABSTRACT

This invention provides for a box or holder comprising a drawer, a plate slidable in a parallel relationship with one of the box sidewalls and guided in a guide means connected to the side wall of the box, said plate having a finger-shaped resilient means adapted to cooperate with a coupling means disposed on the drawer, and having a lip-shaped means resilient in the vertical plane of the plate and remaining in the guide means and having opposite to it a raised portion at the upper side, characterized in that the finger-shaped resilient means 13, 14 is directed backwardly and downwardly, that in the closed position of the box the extremity of this means is below the level of the bottom of the guide means and that during the forward displacement of the plate as a consequence of the cooperation between the coupling means (17) on the drawer embodied as a cam and the extremity 15 of the finger-shaped means 13, 14, this means engages the bottom of the guide means 7 and is moved vertically in the plane of the plate.

United States Patent [1 1 Ambaum et al.

[ CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOX, A

DRAWER AND A FLAP HINGED TO THE BOX [75] Inventors: Peter Antonius MarieAmbaum;

Willem Johannes Catharina Ambaum. both of Reuver. Netherlands [73]Assignee: B.V. Briefhouder- En Papierwaronfabriek PAS, Reuver,Netherlands [22] Filed: Aug. 30, I973 [2]] Appl. No.: 392,909

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept, 4, 1972 Netherlands 7212020[52] US. Cl. 312/330; 308/3.6; 312/31 l; 3 [2/350 [5 1] Int. Cl A47b88/00 [58] Field of Search 312/311, 330, 338, 339, 3l2/34l R, 34l N,350; 308/36 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,227,505 l/l966Ambaum 3 2/330 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS l2l,774 l/l967Netherlands 3l2/3ll [451 May 13,1975

Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ladas,Parry, Von Gehr, Goldsmith & Deschamps (57] ABSTRACT This inventionprovides for a box or holder comprising a drawer, a plate slidable in aparallel relationship with one of the box sidewalls and guided in aguide means connected to the side wall of the box, said plate having afinger-shaped resilient means adapted to cooperate with a coupling meansdisposed on the drawer, and having a lip-shaped means resilient in thevertical plane of the plate and remaining in the guide means and havingopposite to it a raised portion at the upper side, characterized in thatthe finger-shaped resilient means l3, I4 is directed backwardly anddownwardly, that in the closed position of the box the extremity of thismeans is below the level of the bottom of the guide means and thatduring the forward displacement of the plate as a consequence of thecooperation between the coupling means (l7) on the drawer embodied as acam and the extremity 15 of the finger-shaped means l3, 14, this meansengages the bottom of the guide means 7 and is moved vertically in theplane of the plate.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOX, A DRAWER AND AFLAP HINGED TO THE BOX The invention relates to a container comprising abox a drawer mounted to be inserted into and withdrawn from the box byway of an opening defined thereby, a closing flap connected to the boxto hinge about a horizontal axis above the drawer, and a plate slidablein a parallel relationship with one of the box sidewalls and guided in aguide means connected to the side wall of the box, said plate having anelongate resilient part adapted to co-operate with a coupling memberdisposed on the drawer.

A similar container is known from Dutch patent specification 121,774. Inthis known container by cooperation of a pin disposed on the drawer andthe elongate resilient part the plate is displaced outwardly when draweris withdrawn from the box, until in a certain position, the elongateresilient part is bent inwardly by a cam to such an extent that the pinis released herefrom.

This construction has various drawbacks. The pin disposed on the draweris a hindrance during turning over the sheets of the file in the fileclamp. Furthermore. it has transpired that after frequent use theelongate resilient part breaks off, because the direction of bendingmovement of that part is technically wrong. Also, in order to keep themoulding expense of the plate low, the elongate resilient part may bemoulded separately, from the plate and then fastened to the plate, butthis requires additional moulding expense and additional time forassembling.

in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks according to theinvention a container is proposed in which the elongate resilient partis directed rearwardly and downwardly so that in the closed position ofthe box the extremity of this part is below the guide means and when thedrawer is withdrawn the elongate part co-operates with the guide meansand the coupling member on the drawer to displace the plate forwardlyand upwardly.

The invention will now be illustrated through the description andenclosed drawings, in which:

FIG. I gives a diagrammatical view of the container in its openedposition;

FIG. 2 indicates the closed position of the container and in particularthe position of the plate therof;

FIG. 3 represents the opened position of the container and the positionof the plate.

The illustrated container compries the box 1, the drawer 2 and the flap3. The drawer 2 comprises a handle 4 projecting outwardly through arecess 5 of the flap 3 when same is closed.

To the side wall 6 of the box a guide means 7 is secured, in which aplate 8 is arranged so as to be slidable in the same direction as thedrawer 2 and to be coupled therewith over a certain part of the distancethrough which the drawer moves. The leading edge 9 of this slidableplate 8 has the shape of a circle portion 10, whereby the flap 3 isgradually opened when the plate 8 moves outwardly. At the end of thiscircle portion 10 at the upper side of the plate 8 a raised portion 1]is present. The form of the plate 8 ensures that the flap 3 is graduallyopened when the plate 8 moves outwardly and in its fully opened positionis supported by the plate, even when the drawer is completely taken out.

The plate 8 has at the lower edge opposite the raised portion 11 aresilient lip 12. When the plate 8 is moved outwardly and the raisedportion 11 is released from the upper edge of the box, the lip 12 causesthe plate to spring upwardly, so as to ensure that the flap 3 openscompletely.

Near the trailing end the plate 8 carries an elongate resilient partcomprising a straight portion 13 and a portion 14 directed downwardlyand rearwardly. The straight portion 13 of this resilient part is abovethe level of the bottom of the guide means 7, whereas the end of theportion 14 carrying a stop 15, directed horizontally inwardly from theplate 8, is below the level of the bottom of the guide means 7.Furthermore, the lower trailing end of the plate 8 carries a second stop16, also directed horizontally inwardly.

To the drawer 2 a cam 17 serving as a coupling mem her is secured. Inthe closed position of the container the cam 17 is positioned betweenthe two stops 15 and 16. Finally, the side wall carries an end stop 18for the plate 8.

When the drawer 2 is drawn outwardly from its closed position in the boxI, the cam 17 engages the stop 15 and thus pushes the plate 8 outwardly.Just before the flap 3 has taken a horizontal position, the slopingportion 14 of the elongate resilient part contacts the trailing edge ofthe bottom of the guide means 7 and this gradually lifts the plate up asa result of a further displacement of the plate 8, so that the cam 17 ofthe drawer 2 can pass the stop 15 and the drawer can be taken out of thebox. When the drawer is again pushed back into the box the cam 17 passesthe stop 15 and engages the hind stop 16, by which the plate is pushedinwardly again.

In that the parts 13 and 14 of the elongate resilient part arepositioned in the plane of the plate 8 and move in this plane. thisplate can be manufactured by moulding in a single die. Also, thedirection of movement of bending this elongate resilient part istechnically the most favourable one, so that the risk of the elongateresilient part breaking off becomes much smaller. The cam 17 on thedrawer 2 is no hindrance to turning over the sheets of a file placed ina file clamp and can be applied very simple and cheaply from a technicalpoint of view.

What is claimed is:

1. A container comprising:

a box having a vertical side wall and defining an opening;

a pull-out drawer mounted to be inserted into and withdrawn from the boxby way of said opening; a closing flap connected to the box to hingeabout a horizontal axis above the pull-out drawer;

a guide means connected to said side wall;

a vertical plate arranged in the box adjacent to said side wall so as tobe slidable in said guide means; and

a coupling member disposed on the drawer, said vertical plate having anelongated resilient part which extends rearwardly and downwardly so thatwhen the drawer is in an inserted position in the box the free end ofthe elongated part is below the guide means and when the drawer is movedtowards a withdrawn position said elongated part co-operates with theguide means and said coupling member to displace the plate forwardly andupwardly.

2. A container according to claim 1, wherein the elongated partcomprises a first portion which is straight and extends above the guidemeans and a secnd portion which is located between said first portionand said free end and extends downwardly.

3. A container according to claim 1, wherein the plate is provided at aposition to the rear of said free end with a stop directed horizontallyaway from said side wall to co-operate with the coupling member when thedrawer is moved from a withdrawn position towards an inserted positionto displace said plate rearwardly.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the elongated part isprovided at its free end with a stop directed horizontally away fromsaid side wall to cooperate with said coupling member.

5. A container according to claim 4, wherein said plate and limitrearward movement thereof.

1. A container comprising: a box having a vertical side wall anddefining an opening; a pull-out drawer mounted to be inserted into andwithdrawn from the box by way of said opening; a closing flap connectedto the box to hinge about a horizontal axis above the pull-out drawer; aguide means connected to said side wall; a vertical plate arranged inthe box adjacent to said side wall so as to be slidable in said guidemeans; and a coupling member disposed on the drawer, said vertical platehaving an elongated resilient part which extends rearwardly anddownwardly so that when the drawer is in an inserted position in the boxthe free end of the elongated part is below the guide means and when thedrawer is moved towards a withdrawn position said elongated partco-operates with the guide means and said coupling member to Displacethe plate forwardly and upwardly.
 2. A container according to claim 1,wherein the elongated part comprises a first portion which is straightand extends above the guide means and a second portion which is locatedbetween said first portion and said free end and extends downwardly. 3.A container according to claim 1, wherein the plate is provided at aposition to the rear of said free end with a stop directed horizontallyaway from said side wall to co-operate with the coupling member when thedrawer is moved from a withdrawn position towards an inserted positionto displace said plate rearwardly.
 4. A container according to claim 1,wherein the elongated part is provided at its free end with a stopdirected horizontally away from said side wall to co-operate with saidcoupling member.
 5. A container according to claim 4, wherein saidcoupling member comprises a cam and said plate is provided at a positionto the rear of said free end with a second stop directed horizontallyaway from said side wall to co-operate with the cam when the drawer ismoved from a withdrawn position towards an inserted position to displacethe plate rearwardly, the distance between the two stops correspondingto the length of the cam in the direction of movement of the plate.
 6. Acontainer according to claim 1, wherein said side wall carries an endstop arranged to engage said plate and limit rearward movement thereof.